Copyholder



June 17, 1941. GENSM'ER 2,245,912 I COPYHOLDER I Filed Sept. 26, 1938 sag 9 1 I I I Inventor: Theodore Gensmer, Y

Attorney;

Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE oomoLm-m Theodore Gensmer. Portland, Oreg. Application September 26, 1938, Serial No. 231,722

7 Claims. (01(120-34) My invention relates to copy holders of the general type provided with adjustable markers to indicate lines to be copied successively wherein means is incorporated to provide for the uniform but variable movement of the said markers.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a copy holder particularly adapted for use with heavy books of account or records such as are used in county oflices.

A second object of my invention is the provision in such a device of means for moving the markers which allows of an infinite variety of spacings readily selected which will aiford adjustment to any uniform interval of practical use.

A third object of my invention is the provision of such a device readily manufactured by ordinary methods at a relatively small cost.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent in the following discourse wherein the significance of the reference characters in the accompanying drawing, details of construction and manner of use of a typical copy holder embodying my invention, and the particu-.

lar advantages thereof are explained.-

Figure 1 represents a view of the front of the complete copy holder.

Figure. 2 represents a view of the edge of the copy holder.

Figure 3 represents a view of the top of the copy holder.

Figure 4 represents a view of the back of the copy holder.

Figure 5 represents a view of the back of a fragment of the marker moving means on an enlarged scale.

The essence of the present invention resides in the means providing for use of the device with large bound volumes containing manuscript matter or other matter of more regular form.

Two panels I and 2 are disposed on opposite sides of a recess 3 conveniently formed by bending a continuous sheet of metal 4, as illustrated in Figure 3, to provide lateral ribs. 5 and 8, medial ribs 1 and 8, and a recessed panel 9 to which a channel it is secured to provide stiifness or backing.

Near the bottom of the body thus formed a shelf I I is secured to support a book as l2 opened to the desired pages. Two swinging fingers l3 and i 4 frictionally pivoted at i5 and I6, respectively, serve to retain the open book upon the shelf and hold the pages from accidental turning. Suitable apertures i1 and ill in the shelf I l allow of the movement of the fingers l3 and I4 into contact with book pages disposed within the width of the shelf H.

Two markers i9 and 20 of symmetrical design and disposition move independently across the faces of the pages of the book. These markers i9 and 20 are provided with flexible extremities 2i and 22, respectively, easily bent to conform to the curves of the pages near the binding. Each of these markers l9 and 20 is mounted upon a carriage 23 and 24 shown in enlarged detail in Figure 5-in such a manner as to provide adjustment about two perpendicularly related pivots 25 and 2 6 and 21 and 28 respectively, and a translatory adjustment along the slots 29 and 30 respectively.

This pivotal and translatory movement or adjustment of the markers allows of aligning the markers with the desired matter whether the' same be precisely level or otherwise, or whether the two portions of the open book l2 are equal in thickness or unequal, or disposed in angularly related planes as is peculiar to bound books.

Convenient friction devices are provided to retain the markers in the selected position... The pivots 26 and 28 are provided with friction sp ngs 3| and 32, and the pivots 25 and 21 are provided with thumb-nuts 33 and 34 respectively, serving to clamp the markers l9 and 20 to the respective yokes 35 and 36 therefor.

Each carriage as 24 is mounted upon two parallel rods 3! and 38 in turn mounted at the extremities thereof in a frame as 39 rigidly secured to the lateral ribs as 5. The rod 38 or 43 is slidably mounted in the frame 39 to reciprocate longitudinally between limits of motion determined by the spacing between the key and the lower horizontal portion of the frame 39 between which a rubber cushion 4| is mounted upon the rod 38. The spacing between these two members is controlled by a screw 44 extending slidably through the bracket 45 and screwed through the key 40 to adjust the position of the upper limit of motion effected by the spring 60 when manual pressure upon the key 40 is removed.

The other rods as 31 or 42, are rigidly mounted in the frames as 39.

The mechanism which converts the reciprocatory movement of the rod as 38 into intermittent single direction movement of the carriage as 24 is illustrated in Figure 5.

The weight of the carriage 24, yoke 36, and marker I3 is supported by a spring 46 shown in Figure 5 opposite ends of which engage the under surface of a flange 41 formed on the carriage 24 and the upper surface of a friction-piece 43 one end of which is bent downwardly to engage the lower flange 49 of the carriage 24. The rod 3'! passes through a hole in the friction-piece 48 as indicated by the portion thereof shown in section and isengaged by upper and lower oppositely disposed edges of the friction-piece 4| adjacent the said hole.

A clutch-piece 50 similarly engages the movable rod 38 by operation of the spring 5| and is provided with a slot 52 through which the stationary rod 31 passes, a leg 53, and a thumb piece 5 3.

Similar symmetrically formed and disposed parts not otherwise referred to are designated in the drawing by similar numerals with prime exponents.

The device as a whole is supported easelfashion by hinged rear legs 55 and 58 fitted with rubber cushions as 51, and two cushion-washers 58 and 59 secured to the lower extremities of the lateral ribs 5 and 6 respectively.

The book I2 is set upon the shelf II and opened to the desired place with the fingers l3 and I4 swung clear of the turning pages and the markers [9 and 20 swung upon the respective, pivots 26 and 28 to a forwardly extending or laterally extending position. When the book has been thus opened the fingers l3 and M are moved into contact with the exposed pages and the markers l9 and 20 are also swung into contact .along the entire length thereof by a slight pressure to effect the proper adjustment of the yokes 35 and 36 in the movement provided for by the slots 25 and 30.

The flexible ends of the markers, 2| and 22, are next bent to conform to the curve of the pages. The screws as 44 are then adjusted to provide the precise movement of the markers required when the key as 40 is depressed to the limit of travel.

A study of the mechanism shown in Figure 5 will reveal that a downward movement of the rod 38 in response to the pressure upon the key 40 will carry the carriage as 24 along with it but that the return of the rod 38 to its upper position in response to the action of the spring 60 will not disturb the new position of the carriage 24 by reason of the fact that the latter is firmly held against upward movement by the friction-piece 48.

To raise the carriage as 24 and hence the marker as l9, an upward pressure is applied to the thumb-piece 54 to disengage both the clutchpiece 50 and the friction-piece 48, the unsupported end of the latter being engaged and lifted by the medial portion of the clutch-piece 50.

It is to be especially observed that the markers, capable of the several adjustments described, coact in a peculiar manner with the form of the body of the device characterized by the recessed panel 9, to accommodate ordinary bound books of considerable size and weight, and in addition, the usual flat matter as distribution sheets, charts, and the like.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A copy holder comprising, copy holding means, a marker adapted to traverse said copy holding means in a succession of parallel positions, a carriage supporting said marker, pivotal and slidable joints connecting said marker to said carriage, a stationary rod and a longitudinally reciprocatory rod in parallel relationship disposed in the direction of motion of said marker upon which said carriage is slidable, a frictionpiece within said carriage one end of which engages said carriage and the other end of which engages said stationary rod by means of a spring urged inclination of the axis of a hole therein through which said stationary rod passes, a clutch-piece within said carriage engaging said reciprocatory rod by similar means, means to release both said friction-piece and said clutchpiece to raise said carriage, and means to regulate the amplitude of movement of said reciprocatory rod.

2. A copy holder comprising, copy holding means, a marker adapted to traverse said copy holding means in a succession of parallel positions, a carriage supporting said marker, perpendicular pivots in adjustably spaced relationship connecting said marker to said carriage, stationary and longitudinally reciprocatory rods attached -to said copy holding means forming guides for said carriage, a friction element within/ said carriage engaging said stationary rod to prevent upward movement of the carriage and allow of downward movement'thereof, a clutch element within said carriage engaging said reciprocatory rod in the downward movement thereof, means to release both said friction element and said clutch element consisting in a single lever integral with said clutch element. and means to regulate the amplitude of motion of said reciprocatory rod.

3. In a copy holder having means to propel a V line marker thereover, a line marker formed with a flexible extremity and pivotal and slidable joints securing the same to the propelling means therefor.

4. In copy holders having a stationary and a reciprocatory rod disposed in parallel relationship to guide a marker over the copy, a carriage slidably mounted on said rods, a flexible marker carried by said carriage, pivotal and slidable joints securing said marker to said carriage, a friction-piece within saidcarriage one end of which engages said carriage and the other end of which engages said stationary rod by means of a spring-urged inclination of the axis of a hole therein through which said rod passes, a clutch-piece within said carriage engaging said reciprocatory rod by similar means, and means to release both said friction-piece and said clutch-piece to allow of resetting said marker.

5. A copy holder comprising, a panel to support copy, a marker to traverse said copy, two perpendicularly related pivots held in adjustably spaced relationship by slotted means engaging one of said pivots and journal means engaging the other of said pivots, and means to move said marker through a succession of uniform intervals connected to the marker by means of said pivots.

6. A copy holder comprising, means to support copy in an erect position, a marker formed with a flexible extremity, a carriage, pivotal and slidable joints securing said marker to said carriage in adjustably spaced relationship, and means to operate said carriage in intermittent movement through a fixed path.

7. A copy holder carriage adapted for actuation and mounting upon stationary and reciprocatory rods comprising, a shell slidable upon said rods, two perforate levers the apertures of which respectively embrace the said rods, means attaching one of the ends of both said levers to the said shell, and spring means interposed between the free ends of said levers and the said shell to support the latter upon the former thus engaged upon the said rods by inclinations of the aperture axes with respect to the rod axes.

THEODORE GENSMER. 

